Betting Breakdown: Player props and popular teams to watch Saturday night in the NHL

In a world of the haves and have nots it’s been more so the Hab nots in recent NHL history. 

Despite their 24 Stanley Cups it’s been a dark age for the Montreal Canadiens as they look to make the playoffs this season for the first time since 2021. The three year drought matches the longest in franchise history, and it’s the first time since the late 1990s/ early 2000s the team has missed the postseason three straight years. 

Enter Lane Hutson. 

The Canadiens rookie defenceman has made an immediate impact with the team, logging 33 assists and 36 points in 44 games this season. 

After opening the season at 6-1 to win Rookie of the Year, The 62nd overall pick in the 2022 draft has seen his price slashed to +160 and is now second in odds to win the award behind Macklin Celebrini at -175. 

Hutson enters tonight on a six-game point streak with one goal and nine assists during this stretch. He is -113 to register a point as the Canadines host the Toronto Maple Leafs as a +122 underdog. 

As we enter the second half of the season Montreal is just two points out of a playoff spot and +400 to avoid setting a franchise record of four straight seasons without postseason hockey in the city. 

While the Leafs and Canadiens take action so will several other teams, so let’s get to our usual props and popular teams for tonight’s slate. 

PLAYER PROPS TO MONITOR

So far I have spotlighted 42 props in this portion of the article with a 21-21 record, which includes going 0-2 last week.   

Pierre-Luc Dubois has at least one point in six of his last 10 games and eight of his last nine games on home ice. The Pittsburgh Penguins enter tonight allowing the most goals and assists in the NHL. 

Sam Bennett has failed to register at least one point in 12 of his last 13 games and has logged just one point in his last eight home games. 

Cole Perfetti has at least two or more shots on goal in seven of his last nine games against bottom 10 defences for shots on goal allowed. The Calgary Flames enter Saturday 23rd in shots on goal allowed. 

Juuse Saros at least 24 saves in eight of his last 10 games, in his last three games against the Minnesota Wild has logged at least 24 saves in all three with an average of 29. 

MOST PUBLIC SIDES

PUBLIC VS. COIN     

It was a very slow start for the public in this challenge, but the Stanley Cup isn’t won in November and neither is this competition. 

After the coin got off to an early lead, I started to question if the public would ever be able to catch up, but a 7-2 run for the public, combined with a 2-7 stretch for the coin has seen this competition flip (no pun) on it’s head. 

The 1-2 performance for the coin last week extends it’s slump of failing to pick two winners in a week to six straight columns, meanwhile the public has enjoyed a winning week in five of those. 

After 12 games it was the coin leading 6-3 over the slumping 4-8 public. But now, after 30 games the public sits 16-14 with the coin suddenly way behind at 12-18. 

It’s a long season, so I’m not writing off the coin just yet, but it’s not looking good. 

Public: Panthers, Jets, Golden Knights 

Coin: Panthers, Jets, Golden Knights